Cleaning and polishing machine for motion-picture films



S. BORMAN. CLEANING AND POLISHING MACHINE FOR MOVING PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26. I918.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

(in ue'nIoz I W flmm I %1 Elfiovmzq S. BORMAN.

CLEANING AND POLISHING MACHINE FOR MOVING PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE 26,1918.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

\ SI vwehfoz %1 aIfoz/mw I N IvrI I w\\ H S. BORMAN.

CLEANING AND POLISHING MACHINE FOR MOVING PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE,26, 1913.

1,356,903; Patented Oct. 26,1920.

' 3 4 Y 5 SHEETS-SHEFT 3. /:7 M 22 Grim Aw nvewfoz s. BORMAN. CLEANING AND POLISHING MACHINE ron MOVING PICTURE nuns.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26,1918- 7 1,356,903. Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

II/I/I/IIIIII/I/IIIIII/A Ill-111mm Ill YIIIIIIIIIIII/I/IIIIAIH! '0 u-nnm I:

s. BORMAN. CLEANING AND POLISHING MACHINE FOR MOVING PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 26 I918- 1,35 ,903, Patented Oct. 26,1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- I I I Z l-lmf alto M4013 W warren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYDNEY BORMAN, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TOMQTION PICTURE APPARATUS COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF: NEW

YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application filed June 26, 1918. Serial N0. 241,987.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYDNEY Bon AN, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaning and Polishing Machines for Motion-Picture Films, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates more particularly to a power driven machine for auto-' matically cleaning motion picture films by wetting tl e back surface thereof with a,

cleaning fluid to soften the dirt or stain which it is desired to remove. After this has been done, the wetted surface is scrubbed or rubbed by cleaning rolls, and then polished by polishing buffs, the rolls and the buffs bcing'adaptedto be rotated so that the surfaces in contact with the: film will move in a direction opposite to the dlrection of motion of the film as the latter is drawn through the machine.

@ne object of my improved invention is;

to provide a machine capable of thoroughly cleaning and polishing motion picture films, either as negatives or positives. Difliculty has been experienced with previous machines in obtaining satisfactory results, particularly with motion picture films which have been colored after development for, obviously it is desirable that excess of color or other mat rial on the back of the film likely to interfere with the projection of the picture should be. carefully and thor oughly removed. With my improved apparatus this can be thoroughlyand satisfao: torily accomplished by running the film through the machine in vthe manner heroine after speclfied.

i no cleanlng able character, and various liquids or fluid mixtures may be employed according to th character of the deposits to be removed- I Whatever the cleaning fluid employed, it is expensive and, therefore, desirable that .it

Fig. 1.

film may become wetted with the cleaning fluid and thereby injured. In the present machine I accomplish these important things by providing a narrow roll covered with an absorbent material of a width to extend between the perforations in the film, so that none of the cleaning fluid will have a chance to getthrough the perforations to the picture side of the film. -Excess of. cleaning fluid to the wetted roll is taken care of by a special sight feed adapted to be regulated to deliver to the roll only enough of the fluid to keep it properly moistened. To prevent undue waste .of the cleaning fluid, the sight feed is preferably supplied by apump or other suitable means actuated or controlled by the motor which drives the rolls and buffs of the machine and draws the film therethrough while it is being cleaned. By this arrangement, the moment themachine is stopped, the flow of cleaning fluid will cease, there by preventing loss of the fluid and the likelihood of theparts of the machine becoming wetted with the fluid. Another important improvement in my improved machine is the arrangement for drawing the film past the cleaning rolls and polishing buffs, this being accomplished without the likelihood of tearing the films by providing snitable gripping rollers adapted to cooperate with a plurality. of idlers which lead the film back and forth p'ast'the cleaning rolls and the rotary-buffs after which it is delivered to a take-up reel also driven by the",niotor. i

One form of my. improvedcleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films p is shown in the accompanyingdrawings of fluid applied to the back. of the film for softening the color or other material to be removed may be of any suitwhicht Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the machine with the reel boxes partially broken away; v

. Fig. 2 is a section of the sight the use 22 of Fig. 1'; Fig. 3- is a section on the line 3- 3 of feed along Fig. section on the line s e of Fig. 6;

4 is a. rear elevation partially in I Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, illustrating details of the connections;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section of the machine on the line 6-43 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail of the vessel or tank for holding the cleaning fluid;

Fig. 8 is a partial transverse horizontal section through the reel boxes;

Fig. 9 is a detail of the gear connections of one of the cleaning rolls on the line'99 of Fig. 4; r

Fig. 10 is an end view of one of the cleaning rolls;

Fig. 11 represents details of the feed roller connections on the line 11 11 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 12 is a sectional detail of the gear connections of the buff wheels on the line 12-12 of Fig. 4:;

Fig. 13 is an end view of one of the buff wheels;

Fig. 14: is a cross-section through the rim of a buff wheel on the line 1411t of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 represents in cross-section the details of the friction drive for the take-up reel;

Fig. 16 represents in sectional detail a pump for delivering the cleaning fluid to the sight feed;

Fig. 17 represents a plan view of the pump, looking down from a section on the line 1717 of Fig. 16; and

Fig. 18 represents in section the details of one of the idler pulleys, the section being taken on the line 18-18 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the bed or base plate supporting the machine and is provided at 2 with an upwardly projecting flange or rib (see Fig. 6) to which a vertical frame-plate 3 is secured, the latter being adapted to support' the polishing and cleaning apparatus of the machine. The vertical plate 3 is securely held in proper position by braces 1 secured to the fra1neplate 3 at 5 and to the base plate or bed 1 at 6, as will be seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings. in electric motor 7' is mounted on the bed 1, the shaft 8 of which is provided at its forward end with a bevel or miter gear 9 adapted to mesh with a smaller gear 10 mounted on the lower end of a vertical shaft 11, the lower end of which is supported in a bearing bracket 12 secured to the rear side of the frame-plate 3, as indicated in 4t and 6 of the drawings. This bearing bracket 12 is preferably yoke-shaped so as to provide a bearing for the motor shaft 8 substantially as indicated in Fig. 6.

The shaft 11 is located substantially cen trally of the back of the machine, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and extends upward through suitable lugs 13, 14 and 15, extending from brackets 16, 17 and 18, secured to the rear side of the frame-plate 3, these lugs forming bearings for the shaft 11. Mounted 011 the shaft 11 at suitable in tervals are gears for driving horizontally disposed shafts, these gears in the present instance being preferably spiral gears. The spiral gear 19, near the upper end of the shaft 11, is mounted adjacent the lug 15 and adapted to mesh with a corresponding spiral gear 20 at right angles thereto and secured to a shaft 21 extending horizontally back of and oarallel to the frame-plate 8, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings. The shaft 21 is supported in a depending bearing lug 22 extending rearwardly at right angles to the bracket 18 and carrying, as previously pointed out, the lug 15 for supporting the upper end of the shaft 11. The horizontall extending shaft 21 is further supported y a plurality of bearings extending from brackets 23, 24, 25 and 26, which are secured to the back of the frame-plate 3 in any suitable manner substantially as indicated in Figs. 4 and 9 of the drawings. These bearing brackets 23 to 26, inclusive, are adapted to support the shaft 21 and position the same and to serve as bearings for shafts extending through the plate 3 to the front of the machine, said shafts and the shaft 21 being connected to rotate in unison by miter gears 27, -27, 28, 28, 29, 29 and 30, -30', respectively. The shafts 31, 32, 33 and 3 1 connected respectively on the back side of the frame-plate 3 with the shaft 21 by the miter gears 27 to 30, inclusive, have secured to the front ends thereof projecting through the plate 3, hollow cylindrical cleaning rolls 35, 36, 37 and 88, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. By this arrange ment it will be seen that the rolls to 38, inclusive, will be positively driven by the motor 7 when the latter is running. These rolls are what 1 term cleaning rolls, and

are each preferably covered on the cylindrical surface thereof with a strip of cloth or other suitable absorbent material 39 which may be held in place in any suitable manner, but is preferably removably secured to the respective rolls in order that it may be renewed at more or less frequent lDtClYillS, as may be required. Preferably, each of the cleaning rolls 35 to 38, inclusive, is made in the form of a hollow shell or cup, into which the shaft to which the respective roll is secured, projects, thereby forming a sup port fora spool or roll 10 of the absorbent material, substantially as indicated in Figs. 1 and 10 of the drawings. The cylindrical body of each of the rolls is preferably provided with a slit l-extending transversely of the face of the roll through which the absorbent material 39 is adapted to be drawn,

.the material being carried around the surface of the roll and brought back through the slit ll, substantially as indicated in the drawing. Preferably, the loop of material secured thereto.

about the surface of the roll is held in close contact therewith by pinning or clipping the ends of the loop just inside the roll at the slit 41, the fastener being of any suitable-construction and indicated b the pins 42 in Fig. 10 of the drawing. l3y this arrangement it will be seen that when the absorbent material or cloth covering the surfaces of the rolls becomes dirty or soiled after having cleaned a certain quantity of film, it can be readily renewed by pulling a fresh supply through the slit 41 and cutting off the dirty end thereafter carrying the end back through the slit 41 and again securing it by means of the pins 42. Thus the surfaces of the rolls can be kept fresh, and by having the supply on the spools 40, no time is wasted in finding and changing the ma terial forming the cleaning surfaces of the rolls.

Another spiral gear 43 is mounted on the shaft 11, adapted to cotiperate with a similar spiral gear 44 mounted on'a transversely disposed shaft 45 parallel to the shaft 21 and below it, as indicated in Figs 4 and 6 of the drawings The bracket 17 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 46 provided with a bearing lug for the shaft 45, 7

and additional bearing brackets 47 and 48 (see Fig. 12) are secured to the rear of the frame-plate 3 and provided with arms simi lar to the brackets 25 hereinbefore referred to. The shaft 45 is provided with two bevel gears 49 and 50 (see Fig. 4) meshing respectively wit-h bevel gears 51 and 52, mounted on the rear ends of shafts 53 and 54, projecting through the bearing brackets 47 and 48 and through the frame-plate 3 tothe front of the machine. Each of the shafts 53 and 54 (see Fig. 1) is provided with a buff wheel 55 and 56, respectively, splined or otherwise The buff wheels 55 and 56 are in the present instance each provided with a plurality of transverse strips of buffing material 57 extending in a spiral or diagonal direction across the face of the wheel, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 12 of the drawings. The spirals are preferably in opposite directions on the two wheels in order that the film shall not becomestreaked while being polished, and, furthermore, by the 'diagonal or spiral arrangement of the strips of bufiing material 57 they are adapted to act as a fan or blower to create a circulation of air and thereby assist in keepingthe film cool and driving out dust particles. The strips of bufiing material 57 may be of felt or other suitable material, and are preferably secured to the rim of the wheel at equally spaced intervals about its periphery, thereby facilitating the fan action above indicated. For securing the strips of bufiing material to the wheels 55 and 56, thelatter are preferably provided with a plurality of slots 58 which are preferably undercut by boring a hole parallel therewith below and transversely of the face of the wheel, and se curing therein a specially formed clip 59 of sheet metal, the upper ends of which are bent inward at 60 to clamp the corresponding strip 57 of buffing material. This construction is more particularly illustrated in the enlarged views shown in Figs. 13 and 14 of the drawings, the Fig. 14 showing a longitudinal cross-section of the clip 59 extending diagonally transversely of the wheel 56,'as indicated in Fig. 12 of the drawings. This arrangement is adapted to facilitate quick replacement of the strips of buffing material when they become excessively wornor dirty, and this is particularly desirable for obtaining the best results in machines of this character. This form of wheel also permits careful adjustment of the outside diameter of the buff wheels, so as to give the desired pressure on the strip of film which, as here inafter described, is adapted to contact with the respective buff wheels at two diametrically opposite points.

The shaft 11 carries mounted thereon an-.

other spiral gear or pinion 61 adapted to mesh'with a spiral gear 62 secured to a transversely disposed shaft 63 located below the shafts 45 and 21, but parallel thereto, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings. The shaft 63 is supported in a bearing arm 64 integral with and extending rearwardly from the bracket 16 which, as previously pointed out, is secured to the rear side of the frame-plate 3. As will be seen in Figs. 4 and 11, the shaft 63 is also supported by bearings inthe ends of arms projecting rearwardly from brackets 65 and 66, which are secured to the frame-plate 3, as indicated in Fig. 11. Secured to the shaft 63 are bevel pinions 67 and 68, meshing respectively with I bevel'gears'69 and 70. The bevel gears 69 and 76 are of large size, as compared with the pinions 67 and 68 in order that the speed of rotation of the respective shafts 71 and 72 to which said gears are secured may be considerably reduced, for this mechanism is adapted for drawing the. film past the cleaning rolls and buffs, and the speed required for this is not so great as is required for the cleaning rolls and buffs. The shafts 71 and 72 find bearings-in the respective brackets 65 and 66 and extend through the frameplate 3 and are provided on their front ends with feeding rollers73 and 74, the surfaces 75 of which are preferably covered with rubber'or other suitable material adapted to grip the film and carry it along without slipping. Preferably, the fihn is made to. contact with nearly the entire periphery of the rubber covered feeding roll by passing it around a pair of gripping rolls preferably movable toward and from the respective feeding rolls. The gripping rollers 76 for Fig. 1 of the drawings, are mounted in a Y-shaped bracket 77 which is provided with a slot 78 whereby it is adapted to be slidably secured by bolts 79 to a guide bar or slideway 80 secured to the front face of the frame-plate 3, as indicated in Figs. 1, 3 and 11 of the drawings. Each of the gripping rolls or pulleys 76 is rotatably mounted upon studs 81 secured to and projecting outwardly from the Y-shaped slide member 77.

A similar slide member 77 and gripping pulleys 7 6 are associated with the feeding roller 73 and the corresponding parts are indicated by the same numbers, but the right-hand Y-shaped member 7 7 is here provided with one arm 82 which is longer than the other arm of the Y- in order to bring the upper pulley 7 6 high enough to hold the film 83 in contact with the buff wheel 55, as indicated in Fig.1 of the drawings. The arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the direction of rotation of the feeding rollers 73 and 7e and hence, the direction the film 83 will be drawn through the machine. Since the feed rollers are rotated by the motor 7, the mere drawing of the film along causes the rollers 76 and 76 to be drawn in ward toward the respective feeding rollers, thereby increasing the gripping action, and because the perforations in the film are not depended upon. for feeding the film through the machine, there is no excessive wear or tendency for the film to tear at the perforations.

As will be seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings,

the film 83, before being cleaned, is wound on a reel Set pivotally supported on a spindle or stud 85 projecting outwardly from the front face of the frame-plate 3, the reel be ing protected and inclosed by a box-like cover 86, hinged at 87 to the frame-plate 3, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. As indicated, the film 83 is preferably led from the reel 8% upward over the lower pulley 76 and then about the feeding roller 74 and under the upper gripping pulley 76, and then to series of idler pulleys 88 revolubly mounted upon studs 89 secured to and projecting forwardly from the face of the frame-plate 3. The construction and mounting of the idler pulleys S8 011 the studs 89 is best shown in the enlarged sectional view in Fig. 18 of the drawings. The series of idler pulleys 88 are in the present instance mounted with their axes in a horizontal plane transversely of the machine between the cleaning rolls 35 to 38, and the buff wheels 55 and 56, the film 83 being carried over the tops of the several idler pulleys S8 and back on the underside thereof to an idler pulley 90 mounted on a similar spindle 91 to the left of the buff wheel 56, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawin gs. The film then passes downwardly over another idler 92 and then horizontally over an idler 93 located in a plane below the buff wl1eels55 and 56 and substantially in alinement with the upper gripping pulley 7 6, hereinbefore referred to as associated with the feeding roller 73 and mounted on the Y-shaped slide 77 at the right of the ma chine, as viewed in Fig. l of the drawings. The idler pulleys 92 and 93, together with the upper gripping pulley 76' are adapted to hold the film 83 in contact with the lower surfaces of the buff wheels 55 and 56. The plurality of idler pulleys 88 are adapted to hold the film in contact respectively with the cleaning rolls 35 to 38, inclusive, and with the upper surfaces of the buff wheels 55 and 56, the pressure of contact being sufficient to satisfactorily clean and polish the film as it is drawn through the machine. It will be observed that at all the points of contact between the film and the cleaning rolls and polishing buffs, the film is moved in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the cleaning rolls and buffs at the points of contact. After passing the right-hand buff wheel 55, the film is led over the upper gripping pulley 76 and then looped around the feeding roller 7 3 and over the lower right-hand gripping pulley 76 and then downward to the take-up reel 94- adapted to be inclosed in a box-like cover 95 similar to the cover 81 and hinged at 96 to the front of the frame-plate 3, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 8 of the drawings. The reel covers 86 and 95 are each preferably pro vided with pins 97 projecting laterally and adapted to cooperate with a latch-hook 98 secured to and projecting from the frameplate 3 between the covers and adapted to hold the covers in closed position.

The take-up reel 94 is preferably mounted upon shaft 99 and adapted to rotate therewith by means of a spline 100, the shaft 99 extending through a bearing bracket 101 secured to and mounted upon the frameplate 3. as indicated in Fig. 15 of the drawings. The bearing bracket 101 is provided with a rearwardly and laterally extending bearing arm 102 in which a shaft 103 is mounted. The shaft 99 extends rearward and is provided with a sleeve 101, revolubly mounted thereon, to which is secured a spiral gear 105 adapted to mesh with a spiral gear 106 secured to the lower end of the shaft 103, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 15 of the drawings. The sleeve 10% is preferably provided with a friction disk 107 cooperating with a friction member 108 provided with a plurality of plugs 109 of cork or other suitable material, adapted to contact with the surface of the disk 107 and frictionally driven thereby. The friction member 108 is preferably provided with a hub having a longitudinal slot therethrough, whereby it is slidably secured by means of a pin 110 to rotate with the shaft 99. The end of the shaft 99 is preferably threaded at 111 and provided with a knurled nut 112 adapted to compress a spring 113 extending between the nut and the friction -member 108, the arrangement being such that the amount of friction may be varied by more or less compressing the spring 113. Obviously, various friction drives may be employed for driving the take-up wheel, the object being to take up the film as fast as it is delivered by the feed rollers 73 and 74.

In order that the gear 106 and the take-up reel may be power driven, the shaft 103 preferably extends upward and is geared to some portion of the mechanism driven by the motor 7. This connection is preferably made, as indicated in Figs. 4 and'5 of the drawings by connecting the shaft 103 with universal joints 114 and 115 connected in the usual way with an extensible shaft made up of the parts 116 and 117 connected to gether to rotate in unison. This universal joint shaft connection is provided in the present machine because the shaft 99 of the take-up reel is out of alinement with the shaft 71 which is preferably used in the present instance for driving the take-up reel.

For this purpose the upper end 118 of the universal shaft is provided with a spiral gear 119 adapted to mesh with a spiral gear 120 secured to the shaft 71, as indicated in Fig. 11 of the drawings. The bearing bracket 65 is provided with an additional bearing bracket 121 secured thereto, adapted to form the bearing for the upper end 118 of the shaft. In this manner, it will be seen that the gears 120, 119, 106 and 105 are adapted to positively drive the friction disk 107 and thereby through the friction plugs 109 and the friction member 108 to drive the shaft 99 and hence, turn the take-up reel 94, the relative speed being so adjusted, that the film will be taken up as fast as delivered by the feed roller 73 irrespective of the diameter of the roll offilm on the reel.

From the description thus far given of my improved cleaning and polishing machine,,it will be understood that the film is drawn from the supply reel 84 by the feed roller 74 and drawn past the cleaning rolls 35 to 38,

inclusive, then past the polishing buffs 55' and 56 by means of the feeding roller 73 after which the take-up reel 94 is adapted to re-roll the film. In the operation of the machine, the first cleaning roll 35 is preferably adapted to be wetted with, a cleaning fluid which may be a mixture of suitable liquids or chemical solutions adaptedfor the purpose. Alcoholic solutions and tetrachlorid may be mentioned as liquids which may be usedas cleaning fluids, either alone or in connection with other liquids or chemicals, as may be required. The cleaning roll 35 is preferably narrower across its face than the rolls 36, 37 and 38, as indicated in Fig. 9 ofthe drawings. The roll 35 is made narrower in order that it may not overlap the perforations in the sides of the film for the absorbent material covering the roll35 is loaded with cleaning solution and it is not desirable that any of this solution should spread over the emulsion or gelatin side of the film.

In order to keep the roll 35 properly moistened with the cleaning solution, I preferably employ a drip plate 122 (Figs. 1 and 2) secured to the frame-plate 3 by a suitable stem or support 123. The plate 122 extends downward at an angle to the periphcry of the roll 35, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Above the plate is located the sight feed 124 provided with a valve opening at 125 which may be closed or partially closed by a needle point 126 on the lower end of the screw 127, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. By this means the flow of cleaning fluid through the sight feed is controlled. The sight feed is connected with the short tube 128 which is provided with a shoulder and threaded at 129, where it passes through the frame-plate 3 and is secured thereto by a nut 130. The nut 130 is hollow'or perforated and screw-threaded so that a. connection 131 may be secured thereto, such connection being mounted on the end of a tube or pipe 132, which, as will be seen in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings, extends downward parallel with the back of the frame-plate 3 and is connected at 133 with the outflow valve 134 of a plunger pump 135 (see .Fig. 16). The opposite side of the pump is preferably provided withan opening at 136 with which is connected an intake valve 137, the latter being screwthreaded and connected by a union 138 with a pipe 139 leading to the cleaning fluid storage receptacle 140. Any suitable storage receptacle may be employed, but in the present instance I have shown a bottle-shaped container having an outlet 141 near the bottom thereof in which the tube or pipe 139 is inserted, as indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The cylinder of the pump 135 is provided with a piston plunger 142 pivotally connected at 143 with a piston rod 144, the upper end 145 of which is pivotally connected by a crank pin or screw146with a crank disk 147 secured on the end of the shaft 63, as indicated in Fi'gs.4, 11 and 16 of the drawings. It will be understood that since the flow of cleaning fluid to the roll is controlled by the needle valve of the sight feed, the amount to be deliveredmay vary and hence the full capacity of the pump may not be required at all times. To regulate the flow of liquid from the-pump, therefore, I have preferably inserted a spring 148 in the connecting rod of the pump between the two parts 144 and 145 thereof, as indicated in :Figs. 4, 6 and 16 of the drawings. The two parts 144' and 145 are slidably connected together by a slotand-pin connection at 149, and a collar 150 is secured to the lower part 144 of the connecting rod against which the lower end of the spring 1&8 is adapted to thrust. The upper part 1 15 of the connecting rod is screw-threaded at 151 and a nut 152 is mounted thereon provided with a shoulder for taking the thrust of the upper end of the spring 148. By means of the screw and nut the tension of the spring 14-8 may be regulated to supply the necessary pressure required to deliver the fluid to the sight feed. The pump 185 is provided with a flanged base 153 (see Fig. 17) whereby it is attached to the upper surface of the bed-plate 1 so as to be firmly held in position during the operation of the machine. \Vhen the needle valve in the sight feed is nearly closed, the full stroke of the piston lei-2 will not be required and the excess of motion of the crank 1&6 will compress the spring 148, thus regulating the amount of fluid delivered accord ing to the amount required by the sight feed.

From the description given above, it is believed that the construction and operation of the machine will be fully understood and it will be seen that the operation of cleaning and polishing motion picture films inserted in the machine will be entirely automatic after the power is turned on, and the supply of cleaning fluid can be controlled so that the film will not be excessively wetted and yet supplied enough cleaning fluid to soften the coloring matter or other material it is desired to remove from the back of the film. After the film is wetted by the roll 35, it passes rapidly under the rolls 36, 37 and 38 in succession, and each of these being covered with absorbent material is adapted to vigorously rub and clean the wetted surface which becomes practically dry by the time it passes the last roll 38 of the series. It is then carried around the idlers 88 and brought into contact with the polishing buffs 55 and 56 where the surface is thoroughly dried and polished, after which it is rolled up on the storage or takeup reel in the manner hereinbefore described.

I have shown and described one form of my improved cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, which in construction and mode of operation has proved satisfactory, but obviously, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details of construction or arrangement of parts for these may be variously modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a plurality of cleaning rolls and a plurality of polishing buffs continuously rotated and means for drawing the film strip tangentially across and in contact with said rolls and buffs successively, the film being brought into contact with the respective buffs at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points, the direction of motion of the film being opposite to that of the rolls and buffs at the points of contact.

2. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a plurality of buff wheels, means for securing spirally arranged strips of bufling material circumferentially of said wheels, the spirals running in opposite'direction on adjacent wheels, means for rotating said wheels, idlers for holding the film in contact with said buffs, and means for drawing the film past the buffs in a direction opposite the direction of movement of said buffs, the

spiral buffs being adapted to prevent streak-- ing the film.

3. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a plurality of buff wheels, means for securing spirally arranged strips of bufling material, in spaced relation circumferentially of said wheels, the spirals of adjacent wheels being in opposite direction, means for rotating said wheels in the same direction, idlers located on opposite sides of said buff wheels and alternating therewith for holding the film in contact with said buffs at opposite points, substantially. tangentially thereof, and means for drawing the film past said buffs in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the buffs at the points of contact, the spiral buffs being adapted to prevent injuring or streaking the film.-

l. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination with cleaning rolls and polishing buffs of a pair of power driven feeding rollers for moving the film tangentially past said cleaning rolls and buffs, one of said feeding rollers being adapted to grip the film before and the other after it passes said cleaning rolls and butts, and means for driving said feed rollers at the same speed.

5. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination with cleaning rolls and polishing bufi's of a pair of power driven feeding rollers for moving the film tangentially past said cleaning rolls and buffs, one of said feeding rollers being adapted to grip the film before and the other after it passes said cleaning rolls and buffs, a pair of idler rolls associated with each of said feeding rollers, mounted for movement toward and from the respective feeding rollers, over which the film is passed, whereby the film is caused to grip said feeding rollers, and means for driving said feed rollers at the same speed.

6. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a cleaning roll adapted to be moistened with cleaning fluid, power .means for turning said roll and means actuated by said power V will cease.

7. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a cleaning roll adapted to be moistened with cleaning fluid, power means for turn-- ing said roll, a drip plate and sight-feed for moistening said roll, a storage tank for supplying fluid to said sight-feed and means actuated by said power means for regulating the delivery of fluid to said sight-feed whereby when the power for turning said roll is cut off the flow of cleaning fluid will cease.

8. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a cleaning roll adapted to be moistened with cleaning fluid, power means for simultaneously rotating said roll and moving the film past the roll, a pump operated by said power means for supplying cleaning fluid to said roll and means for controlling the quantity'of fluid reaching the roll.

9. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a cleaning roll adapted to be moistened with cleaning fluid, power means for simultaneously rotating said roll and moving the film past the roll, a pump operated by said power means for supplying cleaning fluid to said roll, a sight-feed and thumb-screw for controlling the quantity of fluid reaching the roll and mechanism between said power means and said pump for automatically regulating the quantity of fluid delivered by the pump to equal that escaping at the sight-feed.

10.- In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination of a plurality'oi cleaning rolls in parallel relation with their axes in the same plane,

a plurality of bull wheels in parallel relation to each other and to said cleaning rolls, their axes being in a plane parallel to the plane of said cleaning rolls and a plurality of idler pulleys over which the film is adapted to be drawn, mounted on spindles in parallel relation, between said cleaning rolls and said buffs, the film being looped over the series of pulleys so that the legs of the loop are parallel and on opposite sides of the pulleys, the pulleys thereby being adapted to hold the film in contact respectively with said cleaning rolls and said bufl's.

11. In a cleaning and polishing machine for motion picture films, the combination with a motor of a plurality of cleaning wheels and hurts geared thereto, mechanism operable by said motor for drawing the film from one reel past said cleaning rolls and bulls and winding it on another reel and a pump for supplying cleaning fluid to one of said cleaning rolls, said pump being operated by the motor whereby when the machine is stopped by cutting off the motor the flow of cleaning fluid will cease.

SYDNEY BORMAN. 

